The present invention relates to multimedia computer systems.
Multimedia computer systems are information handling systems which combine the information handling characteristics of traditional computer systems with high quality video and audio presentations. The video presentation is provided by a video display device, and the audio presentation is provided by an audio output device.
Multimedia computer systems include media sources which generate media signals. The media signals include audio signals, which are provided to the audio output device, and image signals, which are provided to the video display device. The image signals may include graphics signals, text signals, animation signals and full motion video signals. An image signal is converted to a video presentation by the display device, which receives the image signal and scans the image signal in a raster pattern across a screen of the display device. The speed with which the display device scans the image is called the sweep rate. The screen has a horizontal resolution and a vertical resolution which define display device screen coordinates. The presentation from one complete scan of the screen is called a frame. To provide a full motion video presentation, a display device generates multiple frames per second.
For example, the multimedia computer system of the above-referenced patent application provides an architecture which includes an input output (I/O) bus via which input output information is transferred and a media bus via which the media information is transferred. This multimedia system is an architectural approach to providing a multimedia system. Accordingly, implementation of such a multimedia system requires an new computer system.